There are conventional game devices for a game in which a player is allowed to make inputs to the rhythm of a song, etc.
In such conventional games, the player decides appropriate timing of inputs by looking at the game image displayed on a display device. Therefore, with conventional games, the player needs to look at the game image in order to perform an operation, thereby limiting the variety of operations that can be performed, and inhibiting the freedom in operation.
Therefore, the present application discloses a game system, a game program, an information processing device and an information processing method, with which the player is allowed to perform an operation freely.
(1)
An example of a game system described herein includes an operation section, a vibrating portion, a game process section and a vibration signal output section. The vibrating portion is provided in a same casing as the operation section. The game process section performs a game process based on an output from the operation section. The vibration signal output section outputs, to the vibrating portion, a vibration signal to cause the vibrating portion to produce a series of vibrations at predetermined points in time during the game process. The game process section evaluates the game operation based on operations performed using the operation section in relation to the predetermined points in time.
With configuration (1) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize, by way of a series of vibrations of the vibrating portion, timing for the operations performed using the operation section. Therefore, the player does not need to perform operations while looking at the game image displayed on the screen, allowing the player to perform operations freely and thus improving the degree of freedom in the operation using the controller.
(2)
Another example of a game system described herein includes an operation section, a vibrating portion, a game process section and a vibration signal output section. The vibrating portion is provided in a same casing as the operation section. The game process section performs a game process based on an output from the operation section. The vibration signal output section outputs, to the vibrating portion, a vibration signal configured to vibrate the vibrating portion to a predetermined pattern during the game process. The game process section evaluates a game operation based on the predetermined pattern and points in time at which predetermined operations are performed using the operation section.
With configuration (2) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize, by way of vibrations of the vibrating portion, the predetermined pattern related to the evaluation of the game operation. Therefore, the player does not need to perform operations while looking at the game image displayed on the screen, allowing the player to perform operations freely and thus improving the degree of freedom in the operation using the controller.
(3)
The vibration signal output section may output, as the vibration signal to the vibrating portion, a signal to cause the vibrating portion to vibrate to the predetermined rhythm. The game process section may evaluate the game operation based on the difference between the predetermined rhythm and the rhythm to which predetermined operations are performed using the operation section.
With configuration (3) above, in a game in which the player performs an operation of inputting a predetermined rhythm, it is possible to allow the player to recognize the rhythm by way of vibrations.
(4)
The game process section may evaluate the game operation based on the difference between the beats of the predetermined pattern and the points in time at which predetermined operations are performed using the operation section.
With configuration (4) above, in a game in which the game operation is evaluated based on the difference between the beats of a predetermined pattern and points in time at which predetermined operations are performed, it is possible to allow the player to recognize the pattern by way of vibrations.
(5)
The game process section may evaluate the game operation based on operations performed using the operation section at points in time or a period of time that are or is determined based on the points in time at which the vibrator vibrates.
With configuration (5) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize, by way of vibrations, the points in time at which operations should be performed or the period of time during which operations should be performed.
(6)
The vibration signal output section may output, to the vibrating portion, a vibration signal to cause the vibrating portion to produce vibrations of a predetermined pattern before a predetermined operation period. The game process section may evaluate the game operation based on a comparison between the points in time at which operations are performed using the operation section and the predetermined pattern during the predetermined operation period.
With configuration (6) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize, by way of vibrations, a predetermined pattern, which serves as a reference for the player's operation.
(7)
The game system may include a controller device including the operation section and the vibrating portion. The controller device may include an inertia sensor. The game process section may sense an operation associated with a position and/or an orientation of the controller device based on an output of the inertia sensor to evaluate the game operation based on the sensed operation.
With configuration (7) above, the player can perform the game operation through the operation of moving the controller device. The player does not need to look at the game image displayed on the screen when performing the operation of moving the controller device, allowing the player to perform operations more freely.
(8)
The game process section may evaluate the game operation based on a motion, a position and/or an orientation of the controller device that is identified based on the output of the inertia sensor at points in time that are based on the points in time at which the vibrator vibrates.
With configuration (8) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize the points in time at which the operation of moving the controller device should be performed by way of vibrations of the controller device.
(9)
The game process section may evaluate the game operation based on a magnitude of a motion of the controller device that is identified based on the output of the inertia sensor over periods of time that are determined based on the points in time at which the vibrator vibrates.
With configuration (9) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize, by way of vibrations of the controller device, the period of time during which the operation of moving the controller device should be performed.
(10)
The game process section may detect a predetermined operation associated with a position and/or an orientation of the controller device based on the output of the inertia sensor. The game process section may evaluate the game operation based on a comparison between a pattern of vibrations of the vibrating portion and the points in time at which the predetermined operation is performed.
With configuration (10) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize, by way of vibrations of the controller device, the pattern to which the operation of moving the controller device should be performed.
(11)
The game system may further include a display section configured to display a game image of the game process, the game image not including an image representing the points in time at which the vibrator vibrates.
With configuration (11) above, a game image that does not represent the points in time at which the vibrator vibrates is displayed on the display section, which can encourage the player to not look at the display section. Thus, the player can be encouraged to perform the game operation freely facing toward any direction (e.g., toward another player).
(12)
The game system may include an information processing device that includes at least the game process section and the display section.
With configuration (12) above, when the player performs the game operation, the information processing device is placed in the vicinity of the player. With configuration (1) or (2) above, since the player can perform operations without looking at the game image displayed on the screen, it is possible to freely select the location where the information processing device (i.e., the display section) is placed. That is, the player can play the game while freely placing the information processing device at any location.
(13)
The game system may further include a sound output section configured to output a sound representing the points in time at which the vibrator vibrates.
With configuration (13) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize, by way of a sound in addition to vibrations, timing for the operations performed using the operation section or the predetermined pattern related to the evaluation of the game operation.
Note that the present specification discloses an example of a game processing method that is carried out on the game system as set forth in (1) to (13) above. The present specification also discloses an example of an information processing device including some of various sections (e.g., the game process section) of the game system as set forth in (1) to (13) above, and discloses an example of a storage medium storing an information processing program or a game program configured to instruct a computer of the information processing device to function as some of various units equivalent to the various sections.
With the game system, the storage medium storing a game program, the information processing device and the information processing method as set forth above, it is possible to allow the player to perform operations freely.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.